TOI : Planning team head steps in to settle state, MbPT dispute : Sept 21, 2007
Planning team head steps in to settle state, MbPT dispute
Yogesh Naik I TNN
Mumbai: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sent deputy chairman of the
planning commission Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia to the city for resolving the
dispute between the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and the state government.
The trust wants to expand the port’s capacity to handle cargo from the
present 56 million tonnes. But the state government fears that increased
port activity will result in an exponential increase in the number of heavy
vehicles which will enter and exit the port. The city is already facing
heavy traffic congestion and there are worries that the situation will
worsen if the port expansion is permitted. MbPT has stated the government’s
fears were completely baseless.
Ahluwalia will visit the docks on Thursday. TOI had first written about
the controversy in January 2007. Following this, the Citizens Action Group
(CAG) appealed to the PM to ensure that the port is not expanded.
The port authorities, however, have rubbished the government’s
observations. The MbPT handled a record 52 million tonnes of cargo in
2006-07 and is expecting a 10% increase this fiscal. In fact, MbPT
chairperson Rani Jadhav, an IAS officer of the state cadre, has been widely
applauded in corporate circles for improving the functioning of the port to
a large extent. A port official insisted that the expansion will not affect
the city’s traffic. He said nearly 60% of the cargo handled is liquid and is
transported via pipelines. About 12% is sent via the sea to other
destinations. The rest of the traffic is diverted to the roads. Most of the
cargo will pass through the proposed corridors like the Eastern Freeway,
Trans-Harbour Link, Anik-Panjrapole Link Road and the Wadala-Kurla Rail
Link, he said.
“Besides, we will be giving our land for the construction of the Eastern
Freeway and contributing about Rs 35 crore for the Anik-Panjrapole Link
Road. Though we will benefit from this, Mumbaikars will benefit more.
Nowhere in the world has any port given its land for a freeway project,” he
said. Sources said the government was not pushing these crucial
infrastructure projects enough. For example, over 1,000 flats meant to
relocate slum-dwellers coming in the way of the Anik-Panjrapole Link Road
project have been lying unoccupied for several months.
The All India Port and Dock Workers Federation stated that after
grabbing textile mill land, vested interests in the city have their eyes set
on port land. These lobbies are conducting a systematic propaganda to
curtail port expansion plans, it alleged.
Ahluwalia will also have an hour-long meeting with Vilasrao Deshmukh on
various projects related to Mumbai like viability gap funding for metro
rail, faster clearances for rail projects under MUTPII and Jawaharlal Nehru
Urban Renewal Mission.
yogesh.naik@timesgroup.com
Publication:Times of India Mumbai; Date:Sep 21, 2007; Section:Times City;
Page Number:10